Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations

House, Senate Unveil Bills To Repeal Worker Health Benefits Mandate

On Thursday, lawmakers in the House and Senate introduced legislation (HR 903, S 399) that would repeal the Affordable Care Act requirement that most employers offer affordable health care benefits to their employees, The Hill's "Healthwatch" reports.

Details of Mandate

Under the ACA, businesses with at least 50 workers beginning in 2014 must pay a penalty of $2,000 per employee if they do not provide affordable coverage to their employees.

Employers will not be required to pay for the first 30 workers who are included in the penalty calculation.

A joint statement issued by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) -- a co-sponsor of the Senate bill and ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee -- called the ACA provision a "job killer."

The statement said the employer mandate "is a drag on our economy, forcing too many of our nation's job creators to stop hiring and grow[ing] their businesses in order to comply with this onerous provision," adding, "Instead of letting the federal government dictate how employers should allocate resources, let's repeal this job-killing mandate and let businesses get back in the business of hiring" ("Healthwatch," The Hill, 2/28).
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